You’ve just landed your dream job: a permanent contract in the eternal city. Or maybe you’re being seconded to the Rome branch for a couple of years by your multinational employer. Perhaps you’ve decided to do your Master’s or PhD at one of the city’s numerous international universities. Or it could just be that you fancy taking a sabbatical for a few months, and what place better than Rome?
Whatever your reason for moving to Rome, the length of time you’ll be here determines the type of rental contract you’ll need: rentals are strictly regulated in Italy, so it’s not as simple as deciding how long you want to stay, and agreeing it with the landlord.
Here’s a quick breakdown on the different types of contract and what they involve.
Long-term contracts
Long-term rental contracts for residential accommodation come in two types: controlled rent or free rent. Both types have stiff penalties on both sides for early termination. They are automatically renewable at the end of the first rental period unless cancelled with at least 6 months’ notice: at the end of the first rental period, the tenant is free to terminate the agreement for any reason, but the landlord may only terminate it for one of the reasons specified by law. At the end of the renewal period (i.e. second rental period), either party may terminate the agreement for any reason, again having given 6 months’ notice, or they may agree to renew the contract.
Controlled rent contract (3+2, contratto a canone concordato)
With this type of contract the rent is fixed within a minimum and a maximum limit decided according to agreements between owners’ associations and tenants’ associations. Any increases are also strictly regulated. The initial rental term is for 3 years, with tacit renewal for a further 2 years. The benefit for the landlord in this type of contract is the payment of a lower tax rate on the rental income than is the case with a free rent agreement; the benefit for the tenant is a lower rent.
Free rent agreement(4+4, contratto a canone libero)
As the name suggests, the landlord and tenant are free to agree on the rental price, but other elements are dictated by law. The minimum term is 4 years, with tacit renewal for a further 4 years.
With both controlled and free rent agreements, the contract must be registered with the Agenzie delle Entrate within 30 days. The choice of which contract type to use lies strictly with the landlord.
Pros: the peace of mind that comes with having guaranteed long-term accommodation
Cons: you’re legally obliged to pay the rent for the entire contractual period, regardless of any change in your circumstances
The bottom line: If you need long-term accommodation, or if you’re planning to stay at least a year and are unable to demonstrate a need for short-term accommodation, these are the two options available to you.
Temporary contract (contratto transitorio)
If you’re planning to stay for a year or two, this is probably the contract for you. The duration can be anywhere from 1 to 18 months, although in practice the minimum term is generally 12 months. The need for temporary accommodation must be justified and documented (e.g. fixed-term job contract), as this is a legal requirement for this type of contract. The contract is not automatically renewable at the end of the rental period, but can be renewed, on the agreement of both parties, for one further period of up to 18 months, again having demonstrated the need (such as an extension of your employment contract). One thing to watch out for is whether or not the landlord will let you use the address as your domicile for purposes of residence: technically they can’t stop you, but again, in practice, some landlords simply won’t rent to you if they think there’s any chance you’ll need to.
The contract must be registered with the Agenzie delle Entrate within 30 days.
Pros: you’re not tied in to a lengthy contract with stringent (and costly) early termination conditions
Cons: need for short-term accommodation must be demonstrated through third-party documentation; in practice, it may not always be possible to use the address as a basis for requesting residency
The bottom line: The only practical contract for planned stays of 1-2 years.
Tourist contract (contratto ad uso turistico)
“But I’m not a tourist!”, I hear you cry. But for very short term leases – and certainly anything under 6 months – this may be the only type of contract available to you.
These contracts are subclassified as short term (up to 30 days), medium term (from 30 days to 6 months) and long term (6 months or more). Medium- and long-term contracts must be registered with the Agenzie delle Entrate – the Italian Revenue Agency.
Useful websites to search for this kind of rental include Spotahome.com, Airbnb.com and Housinganywhere.com. As with any tourist accommodation, there is no option to view the apartment before booking: everything is done remotely, through the website. The sites claim to verify landlords and offer help if anything goes wrong: your first month’s rent is held by the site until you have moved in and confirmed that all is well. Any required security deposit may or may not be requested and paid through the platform.
Pros: straightforward – if all goes well.
Cons: May be more expensive than other types of contract. No local contact in the event of any dispute between you and your landlord. No viewing possible prior to booking and paying.
The bottom line: if you’re in Rome for a relatively short period, this may be your only option.